Written questions by Pinkerton.

Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to publish an update on local government reorganisation plans in Surrey.

Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.

Communities and Local Government, what consultation mechanisms are in place for engagement between his Department and the Leader of Surrey County Council on devolution reform.

Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with the leader of Surrey County Council on the timetable for county council elections in Surrey.

Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing the requirement for local authorities to publish statutory public notices in local newspapers on (a) local transparency and (b) democratic accountability in Surrey.

The Government is concerned about the sustainability of local journalism and DCMS is developing a Local Media Strategy in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. We also recognise that local press continues to play a vital role in informing local communities, and that public notices can be important in helping inform the public of decisions made by their council which may affect their quality of life, local services or amenities, or their property.However, we are also aware of concerns from some sectors about the audience reach of these notices and the desire for greater digitalisation. In this context, the sector’s Public Notice Portal is a welcome innovation, taking advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences and providing a centralised resource for all types of public notice. We also welcome the Portal's current expansion to include archive and consultation functions to help public bodies and commercial entities engage with the public more effectively.DCMS is monitoring the progress of the Portal, and the effect that it has on the audience reach of public notices. This type of industry innovation and collaboration is integral to securing the sector’s future. It will be taken into account in our planned review of public notices as part of the Local Media Strategy, which will more broadly consider the merits of making changes to existing requirements to place public notices in print local newspapers, including the impact this has on local transparency and democratic accountability across the country, including in Surrey. More will be announced on the Strategy and the review in the coming months.

Whether his Department has had recent discussions with Surrey Heath Borough Council on support for pubs in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises the vital role of pubs and hospitality businesses in our communities and economy, including those in Surrey Heath, and that’s why we’re taking targeted action to support them with the pressures they face. In April, we launched a Taskforce to consider ways to create a more balanced premises licensing system that not only safeguards communities but also supports responsible businesses. On 7 October the Government issued a Call for Evidence on Reforming the licensing system - GOV.UK (deadline: midday, 6 November 2025). These reforms are part of the Small Business Strategy, which also tackles late payments, improves access to finance, and cuts red tape. We want planning and licensing systems to work fairly for businesses and residents. Additionally, we’re creating a fairer business rates system, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value and continue to work closely with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council to boost productivity and resilience by working together to address the challenges facing businesses.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of houses in multiple occupation on levels of (a) loneliness and (b) mental health issues in Surrey Heath constituency.

My Department has no plans to make such an assessment. We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that adults with complex (a) mental health needs and (b) learning disabilities in supported living settings are adequately safeguarded in Surrey Heath constituency.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to make enquiries about safeguarding concerns under the Care Act 2014.Everyone with a severe mental health or learning disability who is placed in supported living would have had an assessment under the Care Act 2014. This assessment would identify the person’s needs and would help in identifying the appropriate accommodation and/or support. It also provides the legal basis for safeguarding anyone who is at risk.The NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB) works closely with colleagues at the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB and Surrey County Council to make sure that the Care Act 2014 is followed and any requirements are carried out.If a safeguarding concern is flagged, the NHS Frimley ICB or Surrey Heartlands ICB would be involved in safeguarding meetings with the appropriate other services, for instance under a Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference or Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.

Whether his Department plans to review the effectiveness of the regulatory distinction between (a) supported living and (b) personal care settings for adult social care provision.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. The CQC has powers under the Health and Care Act 2008 to regulate adult social care services to make sure they provide safe, effective, compassionate, and high-quality care. Where concerns on quality or safety are identified, the CQC uses the regulatory and enforcement powers it has available and will take action to ensure the safety of the people drawing on care and support.Providers are required to be registered with, and therefore be regulated by, the CQC, when they carry out personal care for people who are unable to provide it for themselves because of old age, illness or disability, as defined in Regulation 2 (Interpretation) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. There are certain exemptions to this regulation by the CQC, including supported living settings where the provider of supported living has no ‘ongoing role’ in the direction or control of any personal care provided. In some cases, it may be that the housing elements, and personal care elements are commissioned and provided separately. In such cases, the provider of the personal care is required to be registered and inspected by the CQC.These regulations are not currently under review. Any amendments to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 would be subject to the Parliamentary process which would include a public consultation, and an opportunity to consider the merits of further regulation of social care providers.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help tackle the use of catapults by young people to harm pond wildlife in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government takes crimes against wildlife seriously and is aware of the ongoing and horrific misuse of catapults against wildlife. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. It is illegal under this Act to deliberately attempt to kill, injure, or harm protected species of wild birds. There are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Significant sanctions are available to judges to hand down to those convicted of crimes under these Acts. While Defra will continue to keep relevant legislation under review, there are sufficient laws in place to protect wildlife from targeted use of catapults and existing powers are already available for the police to tackle their misuse. Defra therefore has no current plans to take further steps to tackle the use of catapults by young people to harm pond wildlife.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect (a) swans and (b) pond wildlife in Surrey Heath constituency.

In England all wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, including Swans. This makes it an offence to kill, injure or take wild birds and to take or damage their eggs and nests. Other priority and threatened species, including pond wildlife, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

What recent discussions his Department has had with Surrey County Council on the provision of adult social care in Surrey Heath constituency.

Department officials maintain a range of engagement avenues with adult social care departments in local authorities across the country on a number of issues, and with the wider professional community of directors of adult services. Colleagues from Surrey County Council have been involved in a number of these discussions.In addition, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. Surrey County Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Their assessment was published on 20 November 2024, and is available at the following link: https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/surrey-1124

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the personal allowance for pensioners in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. Through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners benefitted from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance - the amount an individual can earn before paying tax - will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax.The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process. The Chancellor will announce any changes to the tax system at fiscal events in the usual way.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that adult social care providers maintain high standards of (a) staff training and (b) competency in Surrey Heath constituency.

Adult social care providers who carry out regulated activities in the Surrey Heath constituency are assessed by the Care Quality Commission for compliance with Regulation 18: Staffing of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Providers are required to deploy enough suitably qualified, competent, and experienced staff to meet the needs of the people using the service at all times, and to enable them to meet all other regulatory requirements. Staff must receive the support, training, professional development, supervision, and appraisals that are necessary for them to carry out their role and responsibilities.The Department’s Care Workforce Pathway is the first universal career structure, launched in January 2024, to support the adult social care workforce in England. It sets out the knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours needed to work, and develop a career in, adult social care.The pathway recognises care workers as the professionals they are and promotes long-term career development, to support recruitment and retention across the sector. The Department continues to support care providers through its delivery partner to adopt the pathway and is also working with local care ecosystems to test the pathway’s benefits at a system level.The Learning and Development Support Scheme, backed by up to £12 million this financial year, provides funding for over 200 training courses, including the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate, which supports foundational skills. Alongside this, the Quality Assured Care Learning Service helps Care Providers identify high-quality courses by reviewing individual qualifications against bespoke standards, building trust in training quality and supporting workforce development.The Department is also working with Skills England to assess current and future skills needs and to coordinate efforts across local authorities, training providers, and employers.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to limit levels of pension investment into unsustainable fossil fuel practices.

The UK pension sector is increasingly playing a role in investing in a more sustainable future, with many schemes setting net-zero targets and actively engaging with companies to reduce emissions. As part of the pensions legislative and regulatory framework, there are requirements for regular reporting, including through Statements of Investment Principles, Implementation Statements and annual reports aligned with the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), along with voluntary Stewardship Code Reports. Taken together these requirements mean pension schemes must disclose how they are managing risks from any exposure to fossil fuels. The Government has consulted on new UK Sustainability Reporting Standards aligned with international sustainability standards, and on our manifesto commitment on climate transition plans. Analysis of industry feedback currently underway will help shape future policies in these crucial areas. These measures aim to improve transparency and accountability across the economy, helping investors, including pension schemes, understand how climate and nature-related issues affect their portfolios.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of safeguarding arrangements for adults receiving care in community-based settings in Surrey Heath constituency.

Any form of abuse or neglect is unacceptable. Local authorities have a statutory duty to make enquiries about safeguarding concerns under the Care Act 2014.Where a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in the local authority’s area has care and support needs and appears to be at risk of, or experiencing, abuse or neglect, and is unable to protect themselves as a result of those needs, the local authority must carry out a safeguarding enquiry.The Government makes it clear, in the statutory guidance of the Care Act 2014, that local authorities must ensure that the services they commission are safe, effective, and of high quality. The Care Quality Commission has powers to assess how well local authorities in England are delivering their adult social care duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. Surrey County Council was scored a two for the Safeguarding Quality Statement in their assessment, published 20 November 2024. This score indicates evidence of some shortfalls and areas for improvement, such as the need to fully embed processes in place and ensure all staff had adequate and relevant safeguarding training. The assessments will facilitate the sharing of good practice and innovation across local authorities.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) families and (b) carers can effectively (i) raise and (ii) resolve complaints about adult social care provision in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises the vital roles that unpaid carers and families play. The Government is committed to supporting them, including by ensuring that they can effectively raise and resolve complaints about adult social care, including in Surrey Heath.By law, all health and social care services must have a procedure for dealing efficiently with complaints. Anyone receiving adult social care or their family, carer, or representative has the right to complain about decisions, service delivery, or related issues.If an individual is not satisfied with the way a provider or local authority has dealt with a complaint, they may escalate it to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) who can investigate individual concerns. The LGSCO is the independent complaints lead for adult social care and investigates complaints from those receiving social care.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. Whilst the CQC is unable to investigate individual complaints, the CQC encourages the public to “share their experience” through an online feedback mechanism which allows them to raise concerns about the services they receive from providers. Any such cases shared with the CQC will be investigated as part of its ongoing monitoring of providers.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure NHS public health messaging helps to protect people from the harms of health misinformation in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department takes the challenge of health misinformation seriously and recognises its potential impact on public health outcomes. We focus on delivering consistent, clinically assured messaging that builds public trust and confidence, positioning the Department and the National Health Service as reliable sources of information.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission in (a) identifying and (b) responding to poor standards of care in the adult social care sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

Dr Penny Dash’s review into the operational effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uncovered significant failings in the internal workings of the CQC, which had led to a substantial loss of credibility within the health and social care sectors. Following the publication of the report, the Department is supporting the CQC as well as holding it to account to ensure that improvements are made rapidly. The CQC has already taken steps to address areas of immediate concern including enabling new assessments and reducing the backlog of registration applications.The CQC is assessing how local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. Surrey County Council was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC. Their assessment was published on 20 November 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports/surrey-1124

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending Energy Performance Certificate regulations to SMEs in the self-catering sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) considers that the impact of extending Energy Performance Certificate regulations to SMEs in the self-catering sector in the Surrey Heath constituency is low, and no different to other constituencies which fall into scope of these requirements. We expect that, if we change government policy to require short term lets to have an EPC at the point of being let that costs to businesses will be low. The cost of obtaining a domestic EPC is around £70 and they are valid for 10 years. We recently consulted on policy changes. We are considering the feedback received, and our response will be published in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to support older people experiencing (a) emotional and (b) financial hardship in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to supporting pensioners and ensuring they have financial security and dignity in retirement. The State Pension remains the foundation of our support for pensioners. In April this year, both the basic and new State Pensions increased by 4.1%, benefitting over 12 million pensioners by up to £470. And our commitment to maintain the Triple Lock – helping to raise over time the value of the State Pension – for the entirety of this Parliament will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £1,900. Pension Credit continues to provide vital financial support for pensioners who, for whatever reason, find themselves on a low income. It was introduced by the last Labour Government specifically to help pensioners in financial hardship. It does this by guaranteeing a minimum level of income – called the Standard Minimum Guarantee – which was also increase by 4.1% in April to £227.10 week for a single pensioner or £346.40 week for a couple. Receipt of Pension Credit also opens the door to other financial support, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax support and help with NHS costs as well as help with fuel bills and a free TV licence for those over 75. That is why we continue to promote Pension Credit across the whole of Great Britain, including to eligible pensioners and their family and friends in Surrey Heath. Our ongoing campaign features adverts on television and radio; on social media and on digital screens in GP surgeries and Post Offices, as well as in the press. DWP’s visiting service can also provide face-to-face support for vulnerable individuals with complex needs, ensuring they can access services—especially when they may have no one else to support them. The Household Support Fund remains available for those facing financial hardship, with funding extended to March 2026.